Recipe ~ Salt Pickles

Enjoy the following recipe for making preserved vegetables in your Ohio Stoneware crock.

To prepare fresh vegetables for lactic preservation, always wash in plenty of running water, remove non-edible parts, such as, stems and seeds, and peel or trim as desired. This process should only take about 30 minutes for preparation. 

Note: Recipes are translated from German originals. Conversions from metric to US standards are approximate. 

IMPORTANT: Do not use iodized table salt, which inhibits fermentation. Pickling salt or natural sea salt is best. 


Ingredients

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  • Medium Length Cucumbers
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Horseradish Slices
  • Dill
  • Tarragon
  • Bay Leaves
  • Cloves
  • Horseradish Leaves



Directions

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Use medium length, firm cucumbers, whose seeds should still be soft. 


Add onions, garlic, horseradish slices, dill, tarragon, bay leaves, and cloves, and cover with horseradish leaves. 

​

Pour salt water (25 g [5 tsp] per 1 liter [quart] water) over, and add ¼ liter [cup] of whey to begin fermentation.

Homemade Dill Pickles Using Our 1 Gallon Crock Starter Kit...

Crock, Cover, & Weights

Recipe ~ Apfelkraut

Recipe ~ Fermented Jalapeños

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Recipe ~ Dill Pickles (Cucumbers)

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​https://cafedelites.com/artisan-bread-recipe

https://jaclynjames.co/food/how-to-make-sourdough-bread

https://www.restlesschipotle.com/rustic-bread

https://www.thekitchn.com/search?filter=recipes&q=bread



How to Make Sauerkraut

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Recipe ~ Homemade Dill Pickles

No Pound Sauerkraut in a Stoneware Crock

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health and allergy conscious!


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PHONE:  740.450.4415

FAX:  740.450.4430​

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Ohio Stoneware
34 North 3rd st
Zanesville, OH  43701 US

Enjoy the following recipe for making preserved vegetables in your Ohio Stoneware crock.

To prepare fresh vegetables for lactic preservation, always wash in plenty of running water, remove non-edible parts, such as, stems and seeds, and peel or trim as desired. This process should only take about 30 minutes for preparation. 


Ingredients 


  • 15-20 whole Fresh Jalapeño Peppers
  • 2 dozen cloves Garlic
  • ½ Red Onion, peeled and sliced in thin ribbons
  • 3 tablespoons Salt
  • 4 cups Water


Directions

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Mix the salt in the water until dissolved to make a brine.


Wash the peppers. You may want to slit the peppers open so the brine and fermentation can happen more easily inside the peppers.


Place the peppers, garlic cloves, and sliced onion in the Ohio Stoneware crock. Pour the brine over the ingredients to fully cover, and place the weights on the vegetables to keep them submerged. Then cover with the crock lid.


Let sit, covered, for several weeks. 

​

If you prefer, you can move to a refrigerator for long term storage.

Recipe ~ Salt Pickles (Cucumbers)

Try fermenting with our

3 Gallon Water Seal Fermentation Crock.

Perfect for pickles, sauerkraut,

and kombucha!

Traditional Cooking School

Recipes

​​​​Ohio Stoneware


Recipe ~ No Pound Sauerkraut

​American-Made Stoneware in Zanesville, Ohio

AMERICAN MADE

European-Style Water Seal Fermentation Crocks

Dill Pickles


Enjoy the following recipe for making dill pickles in your Ohio Stoneware crock.

To prepare fresh vegetables for lactic preservation, always wash in plenty of running water, remove non-edible parts, such as, stems and seeds, and peel or trim as desired. This process should only take about 30 minutes for preparation.

These old fashioned style pickles have all the flavor of barrel pickles your Grandmother used to make.


Ingredients


  • 4 lbs. 4" Pickling Cucumbers
  • 2 tablespoons Dill Seed, or 4-5 heads Fresh or Dry Dill Weed
  • ½ cup Salt
  • ¼ cup Vinegar
  • 8 cups Water
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Optional
  • 2 Dried Red Peppers, Optional
  • 2 teaspoons Whole Mixed Pickling Spices, Optional 



Directions

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Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16 slice off blossom end and discard. Leave ¼" of stem attached.


Place half of dill and spices on the bottom of the Ohio Stoneware crock, and add cucumbers and remaining dill and spices.


Dissolve salt in vinegar and water, and pour over cucumbers. 


Add weights on top of ingredients, and place the lid on the crock.


Store where temperature is between 70-75°F for about 3-4 weeks while fermenting.

​

Check the crock several times per week, and promptly remove surface scum.

Recipe ~ Apfelkraut

​

Our 2 Gallon Crock would be perfect for creating this recipe.


You want to start this recipe from 2 to 6 weeks before you plan to serve it.

Makes 2½ quarts sauerkraut

Serves: 6 to 8


Ingredients

Sauerkraut

  • 8 pounds cabbage
  • 3 tart apples (such as Granny Smith
  • ¼ pound kosher or pickling salt
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds


Apfelkraut

  • 4 strips bacon
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 potatoes, finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar


Directions

​

Remove 2 or 3 outer leaves from each cabbage and set aside. Cut cabbages in half and slice very fine by hand or in a food processor. 


Peel, core, and finely chop the apples. 


In a large pan, mix the cabbage with the salt, caraway and apples. 


Line a gallon crock with the outer cabbage leaves, saving a few to cover the top. 


Put in a quarter of the cabbage mixture and tamp it down with a heavy clean object like the bottom of a wine bottle. Repeat until all the cabbage is in. From the tamping, sufficient brine should be released to cover the cabbage. Cover the cabbage with the remaining leaves. The cabbage will swell while fermenting, so it should not start out reaching all the way to the top. 


Lay a plastic bag or a cloth over the leaves. Cover with a plate and then a weight, such as a heavy can or jar of water, to keep the cabbage under the brine and out of the air.


The cabbage will take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks to ferment; below 75°F, 4 to 6 weeks; above 75°F, 2 to 3 weeks. 


Every few days, remove scum from the top of the brine, replace plastic bag or cloth, wash the plate and the rim of the crock, and return plate and weight. 


When the bubbling stops, fermentation is complete. 


Cover crock lightly and store in a cool (38°F) place, removing scum once a week, or refrigerate and dispense with scumming. Rinse the cabbage before using.


Apfelkraut: Sauté bacon until crisp; remove from pan and drain, and pour off all but 4 tablespoons fat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Rinse the sauerkraut; drain well, and stir into the onion. Cover pan and simmer 10 minutes.


Add apples, broth, wine, potatoes, vinegar and sugar. Return to the simmer and simmer gently until apples and potatoes are tender but not mushy, 10 to 20 minutes.

Congratulations!


You are about to discover one of the world's oldest and healthiest methods of food preservation: Lactic Acid Fermentation. This ancient method allows vegetables to retain more vitamins and minerals, while improving their flavor and digestibility.

The ancient Romans, Chinese, and Japanese, all used lactic acid fermentation extensively. During the Middle Ages, it was well-known by seafarers that the high vitamin content in sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) protected one from getting scurvy and other illnesses. Because of its health benefits and ease of preparation, lactic acid fermentation (pickling) is experiencing a revival in Europe, North America, and beyond.


Lactic Acid Fermentation:  How It Works

Lactic acid-forming bacteria are naturally present in almost all vegetables and fruits. When allowed to take their natural course, these bacteria cause catabolic changes in certain sugars, resulting in two new products: lactic acid and carbon dioxide. The lactic acid breaks down foods, making them easily digestible. The carbon dioxide bubbles off through this crock's unique and sanitary water seal. Homemade sauerkraut, like natural yogurt, contains healthy live microbes. It also has very high levels of Vitamins B and C.

Because Lacto-Fermentation is a natural process, flavor varies depending on many factors. The same recipe made the same way, and fermented in Minnesota, will taste different than when it is fermented in Texas. Temperature and the amount of salt also affect flavor.

The salt prevents unhealthy spoilage and encourages healthy fermentation. Do not use iodized table salt, which may stop fermentation completely. Keep in mind that higher temperatures and less salt mean faster fermentation. Cooler temperatures and more salt means slower fermentation. Most people prefer the taste of vegetables that are fermented (or pickled) slowly.

Home pickling is an adventure! We encourage you to experiment with different vegetables, salt levels, and temperature to find the recipes that work best for you!


Health Benefits

Pickling is the most natural method of preserving all types of vegetables. While valuable vitamins and other nutritive substances can be lost by preserving, pickling actually enhances the health benefits of the vegetables with lactic acid, while allowing them to retain their vitamins and minerals. Pickled/fermented vegetables are:


  • Stimulating to digestion and metabolism, and often used in weight loss programs. 
  • Low in calories (for example, 100g of sauerkraut has just 15 calories).
  • Easily digested.
  • Loaded in vitamins (especially B and C).
  • Easy to make at home!



Innovative Design

Our crock is designed to be much easier to use than traditional, open top stoneware pots, which must be tended often and very carefully. When kept in a cool, dark place (such as a basement), your crock can be left alone for weeks, even months, while the vegetables inside ferment safely. You will only occasionally need to top off the water in the gutter that makes a seal from the outside air.


Vegetables Recommended for Fermentation

​

  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Cucumbers
  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnips



Using Your Crock

Preparation: Cleanliness is very important, not only to prepare good quality vegetables, but also to maintain the crock and especially the lid. To clean, simply wipe, brush off, or spray the inside and outside of the crock and lid, and the stone weights, and let them dry completely. Unlike other crocks, this one cannot absorb water, which can affect taste and preservation, and cause mildew growth. The glaze prevents flavors being absorbed into the crock and transferring to, or contaminating, vegetables. 

Juice or brine should cover the vegetables, about 4-6 cm (approximately 1½" to 2½"). A brine of saltwater in a predetermined concentration (based on your chosen recipe), may be prepared by boiling and cooling the vegetable juice, if there is not enough to sufficiently cover the vegetables. Linen cloths (traditionally used to cover the vegetables) are not needed, as long as the crock and lid are kept clean. Lining the crock with large cabbage, grape, or horseradish leaves, is adequate.

Filling the Crock: Vegetables should be clean and of high quality. Cut away all the damaged, bruised, brown, or black parts. Remove stems, leaving only the best parts of the vegetables. Wash thoroughly. For sauerkraut, you can make clean and uniform slices, (which are important), using a cabbage cutter. 

After preparing the vegetables, fill the crock about ¾ full. After the weight stones are placed on top of the vegetables, there should still be about 1" of space. The mixture of juice from the cut vegetables and brine (using your recipes for details) should cover the weight stones by at least an inch. (This allows space for the carbonic acid, which will accumulate later.)

Fill the gutter with water and place the lid on. Let stand at room temperature (64-68°F) for 8-10 days, to begin the fermentation process. Adding some whey, buttermilk, or wine, will encourage and speed up the process.

You will hear an occasional "gurgle". This is normal, and is caused by carbon dioxide leaving during the fermentation process. After 8-10 days, move the crock to a cool, dark place (such as, a basement or root cellar) at approximately 40-47°F.

Observation and Maintenance: Constantly observe the water level in the gutter, adding more as needed. Don't worry if all the water seems to suddenly disappear from the gutter. Move the lid slightly (don't lift it!), and you will see that the water is still there. The vacuum has just drawn it up inside the lid. Keep the lid on at all times to keep out dust, insects, etc.

After 4-8 weeks, depending on the type of vegetable, the finished vegetables may be removed. When removing vegetables, be careful not to keep the crock open any longer than necessary. Vegetables that are too sour can be tempered by mixing in some fresh ones.

If mold has form on the surface of your brine, you can skim it off and discard. Your pickled food will not be harmed, since harmful microorganisms cannot survive in the acidic brine.

Basic Steps:

​

  1. Shred cabbage.
  2. Add salt and other seasonings (optional),
  3. Pound cabbage to help salt release its water to create a brine.
  4. Press salted cabbage into a vessel, and down beneath the brine using a weight.
  5. Cover loosely to allow CO2 to release, but to keep out debris. Leave undisturbed at about 65°.
  6. Wait, and begin tasting after about two weeks. Ready in 2-6 weeks.


Basic Ratios:


  • 3 Tablespoons salt for each 5 pounds of cabbage



Recommended Crock Sizes:

  • 5 pounds of cabbage fits in a 1 gallon crock
  • 15 pounds of cabbage fits in a 3 gallon crock
  • 25 pounds of cabbage fits in a 5 gallon crock



Ingredients ~ Yields About 6 Quarts


  • 15 pounds cabbage, trimmed and cored
  • 9 Tablespoons sea salt
  • 3 Tablespoons optional spices (caraway seed, juniper berries, fennel seed, etc)


Equipment:

​

  • Large Mixing Vessel, such as, a bowl or food-grade bucket or bin
  • Large 3-5 Gallon Crock OR about 6 quart-sized mason jars with lids 
  • Cutting Board
  • Shredding Tool, such as a sharp knife, mandolin slicer, food processor, or kraut board 
  • Scale
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Plate (if using a large crock)
  • Quart or Pint Mason Jars with Lids (to use as weights, if using a large crock) OR large zippered baggies filled with salt water (to use as weights, if using quart mason jars)
  • Light Dish Towel or Cloth (one for each brewing vessel)


Process:

Start with the first 5 pounds of cabbage and set the remaining ingredients aside. Quarter and core the heads of cabbage and shred thinly with a sharp chef’s knife, a kraut board, or a food processor. Place in a large bowl/bucket/bin.

Add 3 T of the salt to the cabbage and blend well with bare hands. Use your hands to massage and squeeze the salt into the cabbage.

Add a third (1 T) of the optional spices, if using. Mix in well with your hands.

Repeat steps 1-3 until all of the cabbage, salt and optional spices are used up.

Place salted and spiced (optional) cabbage into crock or jars as follows:


If Using a Large 3-5 Gallon Crock:

Add about a third of the cabbage mix to the crock and press down firmly, packing it tightly to rest beneath the brine, with your fist or a potato masher or even a meat tenderizer (basically, anything with a long handle on one end and something flat on the other). Repeat by adding more of the cabbage mix and pressing, cabbage and pressing, etc, until all of the cabbage is in the crock and beneath the brine.

Place a weight on top of the kraut to keep it submerged beneath the brine. There are numerous ways to do this:

On a plate that fits inside the crock with a weight on top (clean jars filled with water and sealed to avoid spilling work well for this). 

You could also use a few well-rinsed cabbage leaves, discarded from the original trimming layered up to form a“plate”, topped with one or two large food-grade plastic baggies filled with salt water (in case it leaks) that conform to the shape of the crock. Jars filled with water and tightly lidded may also be used atop of the cabbage leaves.

Move the crock to a place where it will be undisturbed for a few weeks and where it can brew at about 65 degrees, if possible. Cover the crock with a thin, clean dish towel to allow the CO2 to escape, yet keep out debris.


If Using Several Mason Jars:

Evenly divide the cabbage mix into the jars, filling them about a third of the way full and pressing before adding another layer. Leave about two inches of head space in each jar.

To weigh the cabbage beneath the brine in a mason jars, use a few well-rinsed cabbage leaves, discarded from the original trimming layered up to form a “plate”, topped with a food-grade plastic bags filled with salted water (in case it leaks) that can fit inside the remaining space. You can also use a few of the discarded cabbage leaves rolled into a ball or log, sized to fit snuggly so that it presses down upon the kraut once the lid is loosely in place (see below).

Place the screw-on lids loosely on the jars so that the CO2 may escape, yet that debris is kept out. Alternatively, the lids may be screwed on tighter as long as they are “burped” every day or so to manually allow the CO2 to escape.

Process ~ Continued:

Check the crock or jars after 24 hours to be sure the cabbage is still submerged beneath the brine. If it isn’t, blend 1½T salt with a quart of water and top off the kraut. Use more if necessary.

Continue checking the kraut periodically to check the brine level and to remove any scum that might have formed with a clean spatula or towel. Additionally, the weights and plate may be removed, cleaned of scum, and replaced.

Start tasting the kraut after about 2 weeks. The kraut should be ready in about 2-4 weeks if stored at 70-75°or 5-6 weeks if stored at 60-65°degrees.

Once the kraut has reached the desired taste, cover it with a lid and move it to a cool, dry and dark place (like a root cellar) or into a refrigerator for more long-term storage.